TOP TIPS TO KEEP HACKERS AWAY FROM YOUR WEBSITE
You’ve dreamed of an amazing website, found a great web design company in Fort Collins, and the site is finally ready to launch. You can’t wait for the views and customers to start streaming in. But after a while, you face every website owner’s nightmare: hackers have hit.
It’s a common problem that many creatives and small business owners face. Trying to recover from a hacker attack can be expensive and time-consuming. The best way to keep hackers at bay isn’t to play defense, but instead to take a proactive approach to keep them away from your site in the first place.
Here are seven of the best ways to keep hackers far away from your website:
Update Your Software
The most basic thing you can do is also one of the most effective. Regularly update any software associated with your website, including the server operating system, CMS software, and any other programs on your website. This includes third-party plug-ins. It’s much easier for hackers to get through outdated programs that have more holes. You wouldn’t use old-fashioned locks on the doors and windows of your house, so why would you use outdated systems for your website? The good news is that many hosting solutions take care of automatic updates, and most self-service hosting options will remind you to update when new software is available. If those features aren’t available, set a recurring reminder to check for updates on a regular basis.
Use HTTPS
You’ve likely seen HTTPS in the URL of secure sites like banks, music players, and anything that uses customers data. HTTPS is Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. Just as the name implies, it keeps your data and communication secure. HTTPS adds an extra layer of protection to your website. With HTTPS, users know they’re connecting through the actual server and the information can’t be intercepted. This is especially important if you are asking for personal information on your website or making sales of any kind. HTTPS keeps your data safe and your customers’ data safe. As an added bonus, Google gives HTTPS sites a bump in search results, so it’s also good for your SEO. Click here to read more about HTTPS.
Use a Unique Username
One of the things many website owners do that comprises their website security is using “admin” as their website login username. Hackers trying to access your site already have half of your login information when they discover your username. It’s important that you choose a custom, unique username that is not easily guessed. Click here for instructions on changing your username in WordPress.
Set a Strong Password
If you have chosen a password for administrative access to your website simply because it is easy for you to remember (and as a result, possibly easier for others to guess), you are putting your website at risk. We suggest using a trusted password management tool that can not only help you create strong, secure passwords, but that can also help you “remember” your logins to multiple sites. Be sure to check out our article on tips for password security to learn more.
Limit Access
When securing a physical building, the more keys you have in circulation, the greater the chance they’ll fall into the wrong hands. The same is true with websites: the more people who have back-end access to the site, the greater the chance a hacker can get in. You can still invite people to have access, but make sure each person has a secure user name and password. Switch out the default database prefix to something random that can’t be guessed. Follow other access safety protocol, such as limiting the number of times a person can attempt to log in within a given period, and never send login details via email in case a hacker can access the person’s email account.
Add a Firewall
Firewalls are a common security feature, and for good reason—they’re very effective. Web application firewalls can be based in software or hardware. Like the name implies, a firewall stands between the server and the data connection to screen every piece of data that moves between the two. Modern firewalls are based in the cloud. There are a number of options available depending on the size and type of your website.
Limit Uploads
Any time a user can upload files to your site, it creates a chance for a hacker to get in. File uploads can be as small as changing an avatar or adding a new picture. There’s always the chance that the uploaded file contains malware that can hurt your site. The easiest solution is to simply limit or completely stop file uploads from users. However, this is often impossible depending on the nature of your website. Other options are only allowing certain file extensions to be uploaded or checking the image size of each photo. You can also limit direct access to uploaded files by storing them outside the root directory. Using a script to access the files adds another layer of protection.
For a more in-depth article specifically for WordPress security, be sure to check this out.
It doesn’t take much to protect your website from hackers. Although no website is ever completely secure, taking the necessary proactive steps can help keep hackers away from your website.